Gingivitis is an initial form of periodontal disease. It is the most common gingival inflammation in the oral cavity, and the most prevalent periodontal disease affecting 90% of the population in all age groups. Clinically, gingivitis is characterized by alteration in color, contour, surface texture, and size in the gingival margin around the tooth and in more advanced stages, presence of bleeding on touch or spontaneously.
Examination and diagnosis of gingivitis is usually a clinical subjective assessment performed by dentist. It is based upon clinical alterations in color, size, form, position, consistency, texture, and contour. Clinical diagnosis of gingivitis is based upon a descriptive clinical assessment of extent and severity. The use of periodontal probing contributes to a dichotomous assessment of presence or absence of bleeding upon probing. Bleeding on probing after stimulation has been the strongest evidence of gingival inflammation in clinical, histopathologic, and bacteriologic studies. However, the evidence of bleeding on probing is still dependent on clinical interpretation related to definition of clinical probing and pocket depth.
The importance of properly diagnosing and treating gingivitis is critical for early individual preventive treatment. Without treatment, the persistency of this inflammatory process progresses to irreversible destruction of the periodontal attachment around the tooth leading to more advanced periodontitis and tooth loss.